Habits of unsuccessful people

I found an interesting article in Business Insider and wanted to pass along some of the helpful information on how to avoid being an unsuccessful person. These are habits you want to avoid because they don’t help you at work or in other relationships.

Nobody is perfect. Most of us have picked up a bad habit or two at some point in our lives. But pay attention to these habits; they may not wreck your life, but could derail your chance for promotion.

The habit of being late

This is one that can affect your work performance and also your home life. Showing up late is usually unacceptable in a business setting. It makes you look careless and unreliable. And there is a study from San Francisco State University that connects chronic lateness with personality characteristics like anxiety, low self-control and even thrill seeking. A bad habit of being late may have roots in deeper issues that need to be explored. Why are you always late? Regardless of the reason, it feels disrespectful to the rest of the people who show up on time and to those trying to start a meeting or their business day.

Bad body language

I was observing someone in a meeting the other day. He was giving off bad nonverbal signs. He was looking down and not making eye contact, slumped in his seat. His face looked depressed completely disengaged. The message was, I don’t want to be here! Body language makes a big difference in how people perceive us. It speaks louder than words.

The noisy distractors

I worked at an office where one person was so loud on the phone, the entire hall could hear him. People would slam their doors, but he didn’t moderate his behavior. One person even shut his door. He still didn’t lower his voice. So, whether it is loud voices, popping your gum, singing, or chewing ice, pay attention to how those distracting habits impact those around you.

Texting during meetings

I admit. This one gets under my skin. I simply find it rude. Texting during meetings just says I have more important things to do than to be present with you right now. Yet so many people do it. I mean, the person who looks at her phone, not you isn’t following the conversation or attending to the issue at hand. Put your phone away and be present.
The misconception about bad habits it that they can’t be changed. This simply isn’t true even if the habit has been practiced for years. Be intentional about how your behavior affects others and make a few modifications today. If you find yourself relating to this small list of bad habits, time to make a change and position yourself for success.